Love to the Lords of Gondor
by DeathByMonkees
Summary: AU: Eowyn first meets Faramir in Rohan, but then she meets Boromir in Minas Tirith. Which brother will she choose? It takes place before, during and after the war of the ring.
1. Chapter I, Eowyn

**Movieverse.** **AU:** Eowyn first meet Faramir in Rohan, but then she meets Boromir in Minas Tirith. Which brother will she choose?

**Chapter I**

_This was the day. It was the day when he entered my life with a warm smile and a gentle kiss. I remember it so clear. Like it was yesterday, though it was almost two years since the following took place…_

I took a deep breath and started to smooth out my dress. They would soon be here. The Gondorians. I moved nervous around in my chamber and ignored the maidens who tried to put my hair on place.

"My Lady Eowyn, please" One of them said with a sigh. "Your hair will not set up itself."

"Of course. " I said with a smile as I clumsy sat down at the chair in front of the mirror.

I put my hands in my lap and then started to stare into the mirror. It was not normal of me to act like this. It was only a visit, nothing to be worried about. I looked down at my hands and clenched them.

The maidens worked fast with my hair. They draw here and there and I felt that they were doing a plait.

_I want to have my hair loose. I feel freer then._

I turned my head and looked out the window. The maidens sighed displeased at my movement and I smiled at their faces. The sun shone bright outside. On the city wall the flag of Rohan flapped in the wind. A bird flew right outside the window. I followed it with my eyes. It was so strong, so beautiful, so fast, and so free.

I swallowed and looked back at my hands.

"There you go, my Lady!" A maiden exclaimed satisfied.

I looked up and watched myself critical in the mirror. Not bad at all…

"It's wonderful." I said with a smile and let my hands wander around the complicated plait.

The maidens smiled relieved and happy.

"When the Lord is here we'll fetch you, my Lady. "

"Yes, please do so."

Then the maidens withdraw from my chamber after they had curtsied and left me alone in the room. I gazed at myself in the mirror. I didn't look too bad; my blue eyes were bright and I had a light blush on my cheeks. My dress's white fabric fitted me perfectly.

I rose from the chair and walked to the window. I could hear the people who worked with the preparations of my uncle Theoden's birthday party outside. My uncle was the king of Rohan and that's why we awaited guests from Gondor. The steward of Gondor had promised us the presence of his second son under the celebrations.

I looked over the wall and out over the plain. A great flock of birds outside the wall suddenly lifted and started to fly towards the mountains. I didn't know that the birds were birds at first, because they were to far away, but I saw that it was the case when they flew over the city. Something must have scared them into escape. I looked too the south to find out what.

And then I saw them. Tiny dots that moved towards the city. They were here! The Gondorians, and with them Lord Denethor's second son: Faramir.


	2. Chapter 2, Faramir

Chapter 2 

_I remember it still. I should have forgot long ago, but how can I? How can anybody forget such an experience? I will never forget. I will never forget that blessed day when I saw her for the first time, when she smiled at me…_

We rode quickly towards the city of Edoras, the capital of the kingdom of Rohan. A flock of birds lifted when we rumbled past them. I looked at them as the lifted their bodies to the sky. They flew towards the mountains, at the other side of the city.

_I have often wished that I could fly._

I let my eyes observe how the city was made. It was of wood. Not of stone as Minas Tirith.

Though Edoras had beauty, no doubt of that. It was situated on a hill out on the big plain and a wall surrounded the whole city.

The journey had been long and I longed for a warm meal, a soft bed, and a glass of ale. The wind was hard and I urged my horse forward to escape the cold. He snorted and increased the speed. The three Gondorians behind me followed my example and soon we were through the gate of the city.

We cantered up to the stairs up to the Golden hall and then dismounted our horses. A few men walked towards us. Some of them took our horses and led them to the stables. A tall broad-shouldered man then stepped up to us and bowed.

"I am Eomer, nephew of Theoden, king of Rohan."

"I am Faramir, son of Denethor, Steward of Gondor." I said and bowed.

"Lord Faramir, I believe you are here because of our king's birthday celebrations?"

"Yes, I am Lord Eomer"

"Of course, now…" He looked at my men and me for a moment and then continued "My Lord Faramir, you will soon be led to your chamber. Eothain," One of the men behind Eomer stepped forward, "will show your men to their rooms. This way my Lord, let me have the honour of introducing you to our king. "

I followed Eomer up the stairs and we stopped in front of the gate into the hall of Meduseld.

There I had to leave my weapons and Eomer excused himself before we walked into the Golden hall.

" It's for the safety, my Lord"

" Of course." I looked around in the hall when we entered. It was very beautiful. A gigantic horse head of wood sat on the wall a bit in front of the throne. The king of Rohan sat at the throne and behind him stood a young woman. Her beauty stunned me and I couldn't help but to look at her. She had golden hair and sparkling eyes. She wore a beautiful white dress.

_She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen._

" Hail Theoden king!" Eomer said and bowed as we stood in front of the throne. " I have the honour of introducing our guest Lord Faramir, the son of Denethor, Steward of Gondor. He is here because of the celebrations of our king's birth."

Eomer stepped aside and I stepped forward and bowed. I noticed that the woman smiled at him and Eomer smiled back at her. A feeling broke out within me. I knew it very well, jealousy.

"Welcome Faramir, son of Denethor." The king said. When I looked up at him I saw that he looked old but seemed strong and healthy. "We are honoured to have you here."

"The honour is all mine, my Lord." I had to strain myself so that would not glare at Eomer. Instead I fixed my gaze at the king.

" The celebrations will take place within one or two weeks." The king continued. " I hope you will find your stay comfortable in my halls."

I looked at the woman behind the king once more and she met my curious and suspicious gaze with her eyes. She started to smile and her blue eyes smiled with her. I couldn't help it; I got a grinning smile on my face.

" I believe I shall, my Lord"

" I trust you must be tired after your long journey too our lands." The king said and I draw my gaze from the woman and looked at him. "This is my niece Lady Eowyn." The woman stepped down at the floor. "She will guide you to our guest quarters."

The Lady Eowyn stepped forward to me and curtsied as I bowed. Suddenly, as I caught her eyes with mine again I felt a great desire to touch her. I swallowed, was it custom for the Rohirrims to do what I thought of? She smiled at me again and I couldn't resist it. She was about to turn and walk away when I took her hand in mine and kissed it.

Her skin was soft and smooth against my lips. The men around us seemed to disappear. All I could see after I broke the kiss and straightened myself up was she. I smiled when I saw her cheeks turn red. She shyly looked at me and said:

" This way, my Lord" She turned and started to walk out of the hall and I followed her after I bowed to the king once more.


	3. Chapter 3, Eowyn

Thanks everybody who has reviewed! Right now I'm engaged with my dictionary, I'm trying to spell right and write sentences that you can understand…

Hope you like the story… Anyway: Enjoy!!!!

**Chapter 3**

I stepped forward to Lord Faramir and curtsied. I gazed critical at him, he had stared at me practical all the time since he walked into the hall. At least it had felt that way. He had very kind eyes… He wore a green and brown ranger clothing with the white tree of Gondor on the front.

_He is very handsome._

He bowed and I was about to turn and walk out from the hall when he grabbed my hand and kissed it.

_First I couldn't believe that is was true._

His touch made something in me burst out in flames and I looked chocked at him. When he then straightened and looked at me I felt a great blush come to my cheeks. He started to smile and I looked down on the floor. Fascinating spot of dirt it was there…

I shyly looked at him. He was still smiling. " This way, my Lord."

I walked trough the hall of Meduseld and felt his gaze in my neck. Then the reality caught up with me. He had kissed me! Only on the hand, but he had kissed me! I was stunned. I had felt his lips against my skin! And I had felt them four seconds ago! Amazing…

I led him into the corridor that led to the guest quarters. He walked up beside me. I looked wondered at him. He smiled at me when he noticed it. He's smile was as worm as it had been inside the Golden hall. In his eyes I saw something. I couldn't set the finger on what it was, but I felt safe and at ease when I looked into his grey eyes.

_He is very handsome when he smiles._

" So, my Lady Eowyn." He said with another smile and I started to blush. " I believe that you are the king's niece."

" Yes, I am my Lord." My uncle had said it loud out into the hall, why did he confirm it?

" Lord Eomer told me that he is the king's nephew." He hesitated a little but then continued. " So you, my Lady, and Lord Eomer must be related in some manner." He looked a little tense and he watched me nervously as we walked down the corridor.

_He is very handsome when he's nervous._

"Yes, Eomer is my elder brother." He sighed in relief and I watched him curiously. Why had he been so tense because of that simple question?

We walked in an embarrassing silence for a while and I tried to come up with a normal question. ´Are you married? Do not exactly belong to that category…

" I've been informed that you are Lord Denethor's _second_ son." Yes! A normal question! Or a normal statement more like…

" Yes" He looked relieved to have something to talk about. " Boromir is my brother. He is a remarkable man; strong, smart, the best swordsman in Gondor, very stubborn, tall, good looking." He laughed and continued. " You know, he can make every girl fall for his charm. All he has to do is smile."

" You seem very fond of him." If I only could talk so about my own brother…

" Yes, I hold my brother in very high esteem. He is very kind and helpful, and he never looks down at anyone." He sighed and seemed to wander into old memories. " He was my best friend when I was a boy. He still is." He added. " My mother past away when I was very young. So he became the person who comforted me when I was sad, he gave me love and tenderness so I could have a feast meal on it in those times." He laughed and I smiled. " He pushed me to be faster and better with the sword and aim better with my bow." He sighed and mumbled: " Those things that father didn't do."

I felt bothered but then said: " Lord Boromir seems to be a wonderful brother." What would I say about my own? That we used to roll around in fights when we children?

" Yes, he is a wonderful brother." He looked down in the floor and I didn't know what to say.

" I'm sorry to hear about your mother." He looked right into my eyes after I said that and I saw the sadness in his eyes.

" Thank you." He looked down at the floor again. Silence. But this time it wasn't an embarrassing silence. It was a nice and calm silence, like we had spoken enough. Suddenly the magic disappeared and he spoke:

" So you live here with you brother and uncle, my Lady."

" Yes, my Lord, and with my cousin also, Theodred. He's our king's son."

" Of course. Do you not have the pleasure of your parents company?"

" No. My mother died a year after the men brought back my father; he had been killed by orcs. I was seven when my father died. It was horrible to see mother succumb to grief." Why did I tell him that? I was surprised that I then continued: " After our mother's death my brother and I were sent here, to Edoras. King Theoden became our guardian, and Theodred is like a brother to us."

" I'm sorry." He looked really sorry and I took a deep breath. Then suddenly, we were in front of his chamber door.

" Here it is." I said with a smile. He opened the door and looked in.

" Wonderful."

" Your belongings will be sent to your room, my Lord. Do you want me to beg the maidens to bring you a meal?"

" Yes, that would be even more wonderful, my Lady."

" Then I will leave you to your rest, my Lord." I curtsied and he bowed. For a short moment I thought he was about to kiss me on the hand again, but he didn't.

" Good day, my Lady." He just said and disappeared into his room. When I then turned around and headed to the kitchen I confessed to myself; I had wanted another kiss!


	4. Chapter 4, Faramir

**Chapter 4**

" Your belongings will be sent to your room, my Lord. Do you want me to beg the maidens to bring you a meal?" Lady Eowyn asked.

" Yes, that would be even more wonderful, my Lady." I could hear my stomach rumble, but I didn't want to stop talking to her. I didn't want her to go. I wanted to be near her and hear what she had to say. I felt my eyelids becoming heavier. Her voice was like music in my ears. So soft and rhythmic…

" Then I will leave you to your rest, my Lord." I woke up from my little daydream and bowed as she curtsied. It seemed like she expected something from me, but I didn't know what. What should I do? She looked exquisitely beautiful.

_She always does._

I started to think; I wonder how her lips taste… How would she react if I kissed her right now? I looked at her lips. Her face was just two feet away. Maybe I should …

No!! I pushed my thoughts away and felt that I needed to get away from her presence.

" Good day, my Lady." I said quickly and walked fast into my chamber and closed the door. I could hear her steps fade away when she walked away from my door and down the corridor.

The chamber I had been given was a charming room. In one end there was a bed with clean sheets and in the other it was a fireplace. A little bit from the bed there stood a big wardrobe. And next to it there was a window. In the middle of the room there stood a table of wood and a chair of wood.

_That chair was very nice to me…_

I sat down at the chair and took of my muddy boots. Am I drunk? I asked myself a hundred times. I had never thought such thoughts about a woman before. And especially not of a woman that I had known just for a few minutes. But I felt, as if I had known her forever… I took of my socks and put them in the boots. Then I tired lay down at the bed. All I could think about was she. Her blue eyes, her blushing cheeks, her tiny lips, her voice, her soft skin, her golden hair, her slender body, her… Am I insane???

_I'm not insane…_

I found out that trying to rest with all your cloths on are not to recommend. I silently took of my travel mantle and my ranger clothing so that I only wore my thin tunic on the upper part of my body. Then I heard a light knock on the door.

" Enter." I said and lay all my clothes on the bed. A maiden entered the room with a tray; it was loaded with food and a carafe that contained red wine. After her came a man who carried the belongings I had brought with me in my saddlebag. The maiden curtsied and the man bowed.

" Where would you like the food, my Lord?" The maiden asked with a smile.

" On the table, please." I hungry watched the delicious meal on the tray. "And the things you can put on the bed." I said to the man.

The maiden put the tray on the table and then hangs up my clothes in the wardrobe. When she was finished she asked: "Do you desire something more, my Lord?"

Yes, I desire Lady Eowyn. With her smooth skin, enchanting smile, lovely body… Luckily I didn't speak my thoughts out loud. I said: "Yes, it would be very nice to take a bath." It would be very nice to touch Lady Eowyn again. What a lovely name, Eowyn, Eowyn, Eowyn, Eowyn… Am I mad?!

_I'm not mad…_

"Of course, I'll have they bring in a bathtub in here. Is it something else that would please you, my Lord?"

I tried to push away the thoughts of me kissing Eowyn and then said: "I probably will sleep the rest of the day, can you please present my excuses to the king about my absence at the dinner?"

"Of course, my Lord."

"Very well, then. That would be all." I said with a smile. I felt that if I didn't get some food in me soon I would scream. I hadn't eaten since breakfast and now it was afternoon. The servants left me after they had bowed and curtsied. Then I sat down by the table. The food and the wine disappeared rather quickly from the tray. I managed not to think at Lady Eowyn when I ate, the meal was too delicious and my stomach too empty. After the meal I fell asleep on the chair. I had sweet dreams about clouds and the lady I had managed not to think about under the meal. So when I heard a hard knock on the door I almost fell of the chair.

It was the men who carried the bathtub. And after them a handful of other men and boys who carried large buckets filled with warm water. It looked quite funny when all the men bowed at the same time. But I was too tired to smile or even think. I just sat there on the chair when the men and the boys did their work. I fell asleep again; the chair of wood was very soft. Again I had dreams but this time about horses and a tree, and Lady Eowyn. When I woke up the men had left the room.

Somebody had taken the tray away from the table and it laid towels on it instead. In front of the warm fire the bathtub was situated. I took of my clothes and lay them on the bed. After that I lie down in the bathtub and of course, fell asleep again…

* * *

I woke up when I heard a knock on the door. I looked outside the window and saw that the sun shone bright. "Just a minute." I said loud as I broke the time record in get up from a bathtub, dry yourself and get some cloths on. " Enter." I said after a few minutes.

A maiden entered the room with some men. The maiden curtsied and the men bowed. Then the men grabbed the bathtub and carried it away. The maiden said: "The king, Lord Eomer and Lady Eowyn are having breakfast in the dining hall right in this moment, my Lord. You maybe wish to join them? Of course we can arrange so you can eat here, my Lord."

"Of course I will join the Lords and the Lady." I answered. Would I say no to see and talk to Lady Eowyn again?

"Then come this way, my Lord." She walked out of my chamber and I followed her.


	5. Chapter 5, Eowyn

**Chapter 5**

First the breakfast didn't taste at all. I was in a bad mood and wasn't hungry. I just poked with my fork in the food and didn't touch the bread. All I did was to drink, and I drank a lot.

"Eowyn," Eomer said, "if you don't eat you are not coming with me when I'm going out for a ride." I looked up at him and remembered that we were going out for a race after the late breakfast.

"You can't decide that!" I said and glared at him across the table.

"Child, you must eat." Theoden said and drank a sip of ale. I looked at my uncle for a minute and then back at my brother.

"Exactly sister, if you don't eat you will not grow up to be big and strong." Eomer continued with played horror in his voice. I bored looked at him. I wasn't in the mood for jokes. "And then instead of winning over me in the race you will fall of your horse and brake all you bones in you body. And then I'll win." Eomer bite a big bite from his bread with a smile and then chewed it loudly while he waited on my response.

_He always do that when he want to tease and irritate me. _

"You are insane, brother." I said and shook my head. " I will always win over you when we race. You are a big looser when it comes to racing. And I will see to that you remain a looser in that matter." I smiled and bite my own bite of bread and then imitated Eomer's champing. Our uncle was use to our daily arguing and didn't pay much attention to it.

My brother desperately tried to come up with a good answer. I always get the final answer in our disputes. Suddenly the door to the dining room opened and we all looked towards it. A maiden came in. "Lord Faramir." She said and then the Lord stepped inside. The maiden disappeared after she had curtsied. Lord Faramir bowed and we who sat at the table bowed our heads.

"Good morning my Lords, Lady Eowyn." He said and settled down at the chair next to Eomer. I rose and walked over to the Lord.

"Good morning, Lord Faramir." Theoden and Eomer answered at the same time.

"Good morning, my Lord." I said as I first served him some meat and bread and then started to pour ale in his goblet. Faramir looked puzzled at me. Obviously it was not custom in Gondor for the women to serve the men at the dinner table.

"Thank you." He said when the goblet was full. He stared in my eyes and smiled. I felt a blush coming to my cheeks. I settled down at my chair again and glared down in my plate. Can't I ever be in his presence without starting to blush?

_No, I can't._

I tried not to blush, very hard work, and concentrated on the food. Suddenly the meat tasted very good…

"My Lord, are you a good rider?" Eomer asked the man next to him.

"I can ride." Faramir said with a laugh. "But of course, my Lord, I can not be compared with you horse lords." He drank a loud gulp of ale.

"Don't be so sure about that, my Lord. You handled the six days journey here without having a sore bottom the day after."

"How do you know it's not sore?"

"Because if it had been sore then you wouldn't have settled down here next to me, my Lord. If it would have been sore you wouldn't like to think of it, so you would have settled down at that chair." He pointed at the chair next to mine.

"May I ask why, my Lord?" Faramir looked amused at my brother.

"Because if you settle down beside my sister the last thing you start to think of is a sore bottom." Eomer waited on Faramir's reaction and as hoped he started to laugh, and Theoden tried to hold his laughter. I started to blush and glared embarrassed at my brother, how could he say such a thing? Eomer had an exultant smile on his face as he met my gaze. He had got up with a good answer to my looser question. All right, I _almost_ always get the final answer in our disputes. Same thing really…

"Yes that's true, Lord Eomer." Faramir said. I couldn't stand to look at my brother anymore so I looked at Faramir to see if he still laughed. He didn't. He caught my gaze with his and I blushed even more. He refused to let my gaze go and we still looked in each others eyes as Eomer said:

"But now back to real subject, my Lord. Eowyn and I are going out for a ride after the breakfast. We do that every day when I'm here in the city. We always have a race, and she always wins."

"And I always will, brother."

Faramir broke our eye contact and looked a little confused at Eomer. "I didn't know that your sister was such a splendid rider."

"She is, my Lord. And she is a great swordsman as well." Eomer looked at me. "Swordswoman, sorry." I glared at him and tried to kill him with my gaze. "But I would like you to put an end on her winning." He continued and looked at Faramir. "I have already tried, without success. Maybe you will have more luck with her, my Lord. Why don't you come with us?"

"I will gladly come with you." I glanced at Faramir and saw that he was smiling.

"Splendid. Eowyn, please." He said and raised his empty goblet a little. I rose and walked over to him and poured up ale in the cup. Then I served my uncle.

"Have you slept well my Lord?" Eomer asked Faramir and raised his goblet to take a drink of ale. "If you have it's more likely that you will win over my sister." I walked over to Lord Faramir and started to pour up ale in his goblet. "And we will be honoured if you have." Eomer added.

"Yes in fact I have, the bathtub was very comfortable."

* * *

I mounted my horse and started to canter down the road. We left the stables behind and I felt how Simlawyn, my mare, tried to increase the speed. Eomer and Lord Faramir was already out on the field so I let her trot down the road, through the gate and out on the field. She snorted with delight as I let her gallop towards my brother and Lord Faramir. I smiled and felt the wind against my face. How wonderful it was!

_I love to ride._

The men waited on me a bit out on the plain. Eomer on his beloved stallion Gasufel, and Faramir on Farod. Farod was a stallion that he had borrowed from the royal stable of Rohan because his own needed to rest. Farod was one of our fastest stallions. I glared at Eomer, couldn't he just give up his efforts of trying to make me loose in the races?

"Shall we?" Eomer asked and nodded towards the plain. Faramir and I started to trot away and Eomer followed us.

"Where are we going?" Faramir asked.

"Up there." I pointed on the big hill in front of us. "We'll have a great view from up there."

"After we have been up there the race is going to start." Eomer said with a smile.

"It's me and Lord Faranir who will decide when we will race Eomer!" I said. "It's we who will compete. You are just going to watch." I grinned condescending at him.

"No I won't, I wish to beat one of you."

"You will never beat me or Lord Faramir, right my Lord?"

"I'm not so shore about that, my Lady." Faramir said with a little smile.

_He is very handsome when he smiles... Have I told you that? Oh, sorry. But he is!_

"I do not believe I am a better rider then neither you or your brother."

"I do believe you are, my Lord. Eomer got beaten by a six year old girl the other day." I smiled at my brother. I knew he hated that race.

"That girl was you, Eowyn. And if you call about 18 years for the other day then I suggest you need some help..."

Faramir just looked amused at us and I blushed as I saw it. We must look as two small children with our pointless arguing.

We continued and were soon up on the hill. I stood in the middle with my brother on my left and Faramir on my right. The wind was hard and cold but I didn't mind or cared. Nothing could take away the joy I felt inside. I had never felt so happy.

"It's very beautiful." Faramir said stunned.

"Yes, we know." Eomer said and then continued with a laugh. "We have rode up here every day since the day we got here."

We saw almost all of the plain and Edoras was like a city of doll houses. Some birds flew over the sky towards the strong and proud mountains. The sun made the whole scene bath in sunlight and it was so beautiful that you could cry out of joy.

We just stared out over the plain for a few minutes. I felt as we could be there on our horses and look over the magnificent sight forever. Suddenly Eomer gave up a great sigh and looked smiling at us.

"Racing time?" He asked.

"How can anyone have such a desire to loose?" I asked the air. Faramir smiled and listened as Eomer explained the rules:

"We ride down this hill, over there," He pointed over the plain, "up over that hill and then trough two stones that we have put like a winning post. The goal. Understood, my Lord?"

"Yes, of course."

"If you don't remember the way you can always follow me." My brother said with a smile. I sighed and Faramir laughed.

"I'll do that my Lord."

"On your signal then, Lord Faramir." I said and shortened the reins. I took them in a firm grip and looked down over the plain towards the goal.

"3,2,1...GO!" Faramir shouted and urged his horse forward. The horses flew down the hill with the riders glued into the saddle. Then we came out over the plain. I rose in the saddle and almost lied over Simlawyn's neck. Eomer did his usual mistake. He tried to gain a lead. He would make Gasufel to tired. The race was quite long and I saved Simlawyn's power till the end of the race.

The horses galloped in a insane tempo. How I loved this! The wind flew through my hair and Simlawyn's tail and mane. The mane hit my face and I had to screw up my eyes. I saw Faramir and Farod in front of me. The Lord rode very good. And he had a nice bottom...

We were close to the last hill before the goal now and I urged Simlawyn to gallop faster. She snorted and seemed to fly over the ground. It got up side by side with Faramir. He was very fixed at his task but turned his head and smiled at me. Then we both rumbled in a mad tempo towards Eomer and Gasufel.

Gasufel had as usual not a very fast tempo over the hill and Farod and Simlawyn rumbled past him. Eomer looked chocked after Lord Faramir and me, he had as usual thought he was going to win. And the funny part was that he never understood what he did wrong.

Faramir and I continued side by side. When I urged Simlawyn to gallop faster he did so as well with Farod. I couldn't leave him behind as I always did with Eomer. The horses was tired and Simlawyn slowed down the tempo. Now her head was in the level of Faramir's leg. I knew that I was going to loose. I couldn't ask more of my horse and the real goal was already achieved; Eomer had not won over neither me of Faramir. Then suddenly, just a few meters from the goal Farod slowed down. I couldn't see if the horse had slowed down because he was tired or because the rider had told him to.

Simlawyn rumbled in between the two stones just a head length before Farod and I slowed down and dismounted her. Faramir smiled at me when I looked at him. "Congratulations." He said and dismounted his horse. Eomer rode past me and I grinned at him as he dismounted Gasufel and came towards us. I patted Simlawyn and she snorted with delight. The men also patted their horses and Faramir seemed to whisper with Farod.

"What did I tell you brother?"

"Pure luck, sister." Eomer answered and then turned to Faramir. "My Lord, you shouldn't have slowed down at the end."

"Farod could not gallop faster, why should I push him to the edge of exhaustion?"

"Because you could have won over a spoiled girl who thinks she's the best." He nodded my way and I glared at him. He had always been such a bad looser. To bad he was one… I smiled, maybe I was too cruel to him but he was my brother, so it was my job. "Very well," he continued when he got no answer, "I had no idea you were such a splendid rider."

"I spend many hours in the saddle when I was younger." I looked at him but he didn't continue. He must have spent many, many hours in the saddle. I started to ride when I was four years old and I had been on the horseback every day since, and he could have beaten me...

He met my gaze when he felt that I looked at me. He smiled. Why did he always smile when I looked at him?


	6. Chapter 6, Faramir

**Chapter 6**

We started to walk towards the city of Edoras with our horses cantering behind us. Farod snorted and I patted him on the neck. He was a fine horse. He was chestnut brown and his mane and tail was black as the night. He could have won the race, he was very fast and had stamina, but his rider hadn't wished to win.

A gray horse with a white blaze and gray mane and tail cantered next to Farod. It was Gasufel, Lord Eomer's horse. Lord Eomer was a broad shouldered and tall man who had long blond hair. And next to Gasufel a white mare almost trotted. She, Simlawyn, seemed to dance over the ground. That horse was very beautiful and would surely bring fine foals to the world. And the one who held Simlawyn's reins in her hand was Lady Eowyn.

And if I had called a white horse beautiful, what on earth do I then call a golden Lady? Cute? Pretty? Good looking? Handsome? No, it wasn't good enough. To describe her there was only one word, if there was any word at all that could describe her beauty, and that word was fair. She was stunning! It's insane that someone can be so beautiful!

_As I have already told you, she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. But you have maybe already got that I think so by now..._

I tried to look at her as much as possible. My eyes wanted to see her. To see her made me feel nice. Nice? No, not just nice. I felt free, I felt as I could do everything. And when she looked at me, I nearly exploded because of all the feelings who came to the surface. So I ended up trying to walk before Eomer so that I could look towards his sister without stare into a horse or a man's head.

We didn't talk much when we walked. At least _we_ didn't talk much, Eowyn and I that is. They one who talked was Eomer. And he talked all the time. Eowyn and I just answered when he asked something, or mumbled something like "Hmm." in agreement.

It must have looked very funny. Two men and a woman comes walking with their horses behind them. The humans do not notice that two of the horses try to kill each other (Gasufel and Simlawyn.). The humans do not notice because of different reasons; the man to the left try to look at the woman to the right, the woman to the right look down in the ground and the man in the middle talk, laugh and argue with himself. It would surely be an interesting sight.

We went on and on. The distance to the city seemed to be enormous. But I was only happy about it, I wanted to be near to Eowyn as much as possible. But Eomer did not like it... "How can the distance be so long?" He complained every second meter, or something else in the "Are we not there yet?" category. I managed to catch Eowyn's gaze with mine once. I started to smile as usual. I couldn't help it. I must look like a lunatic in her eyes... A man who starts to grin like a little boy who sees candy when he looks at her. The Lady smiled back at me, but when she seemed to realize what she was doing she quickly glared down in the ground.

At last we were in front of our goal, the stables. Some men took care of the horses and _we_ looked at each other for a moment. I smiled at her and she smiled back. "So," Eomer said and I turned my gaze to look at him, "my Lord, would you like to inspect the men with me?" I didn't want to. I wanted to speak with Eowyn, to be near her, to look into her wonderful eyes, to hear her speak to me, just _me_. I looked towards the spot that the Lady had stood on just moments before, but she was gone. I looked up on the road and saw her walking towards the hall of Meduseld.

"Yes, I would." I watched Eowyn's back as it disappeared behind a house. "It would be very interesting."

"Very well, this way then." I followed Eomer as he lead me in the opposite direction of which the Lady had taken.

_On the following two days nothing of importance happened, except that the day of when the celebrations would start was announced (one week from the third day.). All I did on those days was to talk with Eomer and his uncle a little. And all I did on the nights was to dream about Eowyn. That was pleasant because I only saw her on our daily horse ride and when we ate lunch. I didn't see her at breakfast or at dinner (Eomer excused his sister for that.)._

_As you can imagine, I was not pleased with my situation. I wanted to see Eowyn but didn't knew how to approach her. I knew that I couldn't bother her with my presence around noon and on the afternoon because then she prepared for her uncle's birthday celebrations. But on the morning and on the evening, when I could bother her with my presence, she was gone. Nobody knew where she went. I tried to find out were she had gone, but without success._

_As you may understand, I was quite bored. And on the third day without doing something I would like, that of course meant to talk too Eowyn, I had enough..._

I woke up before dawn. I had have a wonderful dream and wasn't happy to wake up. I tried to sleep again. But I was fully awake and my body wanted to get up from the bed. I stepped out on the cold stone floor and started to search after my clothes in the dark. I wondered what I should do, surely no one but some servants could be up at this hour? I felt trapped in my chamber and I wanted to get out. To get out and feel the wind in my face. I desperately tried to find my clothes, and there they were! I dressed with some difficulty and then put my boots on. "I want to get out" I kept saying. Everything here was so cold and unpleasant...

I found the door after some trouble and then stepped out in the corridor. I had to close my eyes when the fire light hit me. When I opened them again I saw that the whole corridor was lightened up by torches who was situated on the walls. I walked quickly down the corridor without seeing or hear anyone, but when I went closer towards the Golden hall I heard some maidens. When I stepped into the hall the two women didn't notice me because they were in the middle of a conversation, and they also stood with their backs towards me. I couldn't see what they were doing, if they were doing anything at all… But because of the buckets and the scrubbeeng-brushes I assumed that they were there to clean the floor.

"I couldn't have said it better myself. But no one else seem to notice." I wished to get out unseen so I sneaked towards the door and hoped that they wouldn't hear me.

"Really, someone else then us must have noticed that girl's strange behavior." I stopped right in the movement and listened. Were they talking about Eowyn?

"She has always been a girl that seek solitude, but these last few days it have been like she were troubled to be around people." What did they mean? "Like she had something to hide." The maiden added with a whisper.

"No," the other maiden laughed and grabbed a brush, "what could possible that girl have to hide?" Suddenly I realized that I was standing fully visible on the floor, and if the maidens turned around they would see me standing there like some kind of scarecrow. I quickly moved my position to a safer place behind a column.

"What do you think?" The maiden said with a mysterious voice.

"I don't know." I heard how the maiden dipped the scrubbeeng-brush into water and then started to scrub the floor. The other maiden started to scrub as well.

"Isn't it strange that she had not looked at Lord Heothain under the whole week? It seems like she is afraid of doing so." My heartbeats seemed to sound as high as a drum. Who was this Heothain? "He has clearly shown his interest towards her under many months."

"Yes, I have seen that to. But what is so strange about she not looking at him?"

"She clearly fancied him as well." That sentence seemed to hit me right in the face. I chocked looked down at the floor. The fear suddenly held me in its tight grip. "I can just come up with one result of that."

"You mean marriage, but then she…" But the other maiden interrupted her:

"Of course I don't mean marriage! I mean a child! A baby!" I went numb. This could not be true! Was Eowyn with child? No, that could not be true!

"But they are not married! Morwen would never do a thing like that!" I nearly laughed out in relive. They hadn't talked of Eowyn! I sighed and then realized what I had been thinking, and felt… What had I been so afraid of? I took a deep breath and peered at the maidens to see if they had their backs turned towards me. They had.

"You can never be sure of that girl…" The maidens continued with their conversation as I sneaked away, but I didn't listen anymore. How could I think that they were talking about Eowyn? How could I think that of Eowyn? I must be insane…

_As I've already told you, I was not insane. Probably you have already realized what I was, and what I still am…_

It was quite dark outside, but I could still see a little. I didn't see anyone, but I heard some men talk and laugh, I thought that it must be the guards who were patrolling the wall. Now what? What should I do now? What should I do next? I thought for a while and then it hit me: I could ride! Yes, that was a good idea. I started to walk towards the stables. It was first when I were a few meters from the door I realized that the door of course should be locked. I felt on the handle just to confirm that it was really locked, but the door went open! I went slowly inside the stable; I should have been locked...

I closed the door after me and moved towards Farod's stall. The horses snorted and Farod rose when he heard that I went towards him. "Farod..." I whispered and patted him on his back. I knew that his braid hanged right beside his stall and I took it and corded the horse. I turned him and then went with him towards the door. It was very strange that it had been open, but I didn't mind! I smiled and led Farod out on the road. I jumped up on his back and settled down. I had rode without saddle before, so it wasn't new for me to feel his warmth trough my trousers. I was still quite dark, but I could see that the sun was soon going to rise.

We cantered down the road and soon were in front of the gate. It was of course closed. But the gatekeeper opened it when I asked him. I trotted out on the plain. The wind blew through my hair, it felt wonderful. I urged Farod to gallop and we settled of towards the big hill in front of us. I felt Farod's body move underneath me, he was so strong. We flew over the ground and the wind hit my face. Why hadn't I done this before? Farod snorted and increased the speed as he galloped up the hill. I stopped him when we got to the top. I felt the sun's warmth in my neck. It was sunrise.

I looked out over the plain. It was very beautiful. I felt the warmth of the sun in my face as it rose. I dismounted Farod and took the reins over his head. I settled down on a stone and had the reins in my hand as the horse started to graze. The sun slowly lightened up the world. I let my gaze wander over the plain and the other hills. The wind increased in strength and blew harder. The sun made the grass shine and it seemed to be golden water under my feet.

I watched a hill to the right that had two large stones on it. Then suddenly one of the stones moved. I curiously watched the "stone" that wandered around on the ground. Suddenly the other "stone" also started to move. I couldn't see what the "stones" was but decided to find out. I mounted Farod again and trotted away down the hill towards the hill with the living stones. I wondered who or what they were…

As I came closer I saw that the biggest "stone" was a horse, a white horse. As we came closer Farod neighed and the horse and the smaller "stone" noticed us. The smaller "stone" was a human, a woman with golden hair. I galloped up the hill and she greeted me:

"Good morning, Lord Faramir." She looked at me and I felt that feeling rise in me again. She held Simlawyn's reins in a tight grip.

"Good morning, my Lady Eowyn." This was certainly a good morning! I dismounted Farod and looked at her. "I had wondered where you went on the mornings."

"Well, now you have found out." She smiled and I started to do so as well. She looked down over the plain. "It's so beautiful here at sunrise." She glanced at me and smiled.

"Yes, it's very beautiful." I took the reins over Farod's head and sat down on a big "real" stone situated at the hill, and Eowyn sat down beside me. The horses seemed happy with each others company and started to graze side by side. I squeezed the reins in my hands and looked down over the plain. We sat there in the silence, and I felt as I could explode. I glanced nervous at _her_. She gazed over the plain, she seemed so calm. She was so beautiful, the cold had made her cheeks light red and her eyes were blue as the ocean. She was so close. Our thighs nearly touched and her blue dress's fabric touched my boot. I wanted to touch her, to feel her warm skin against mine.

"I have missed you at the breakfasts." I said and looked at her.

"I sometimes eat out here," she said and looked at me, "it's nicer." She smiled. "I have the food in the saddlebag."

"Of course. Do you come here at sunset as well?" I gazed out over the plain. Some men on horses rode out from the city and galloped to the east.

"Yes, I do." She rose and I looked up at her. "Then I also eat dinner out here." I smiled and she asked: "Would you care for some breakfast, my Lord?" She walked over to Simlawyn and took out a bit of bread and a bottle out of the saddlebag.

"Yes, please." She smiled and sat down next to me again. She broke the bread in two pieces and gave me one of them. "Thank you." I said and broke a bite of the bread that I put in my mouth. She smiled and drank a little from the bottle.

"Have you been in Rohan before?" she asked.

"Yes, two times. First time when I was eight and the second time when I was twenty years old. But I have never been in Edoras before."

"How long time ago was it that you were here?" She asked and handed the bottle to me.

"Let me think, hmm." I pretended to think very hard and she laughed. Her ringing laugh made me smile. I drank a little of the water inside the bottle. I was glad that I had made her laugh. "It was seven years since last time I was in Rohan."

"So you must be twenty-seven years old then, my Lord."

"Yes, I am. And you, my Lady, should be twenty-four years old, if my math didn't fail me some days ago."

"Twenty-two, actually." She pretended to look offended.

"I'm so sorry, my Lady. Twenty-two, of course." I smiled and she started to laugh. I ate as I listened to her laughter, it was so wonderful to hear.

"My Lord," she said after she had calmed down, "have you enjoyed your third stay here in Rohan?"

"Yes, I have." I smiled and added: "So far." She smiled and I bite a bit of bread from the piece I had been given.

We sat there and ate for a couple of minutes without talking to each other. We just listened to the sound of the horses, the birds and the wind. I felt very calm and at ease. I wonder why…

Then suddenly we had eaten all the bread! The silence seemed to be complete and we smiled nervous at each other. Two thoughts were at war in my brain. The first one (who were winning at the moment) wanted to sit there on the stone and be with Eowyn, the bad thing about that was just it was quite embarrassing at the moment. The second thought wanted to rise and leave the hill, the bad thing about that was just that then I would not sit next to Eowyn anymore. The second won after a few moments extremely silent silence.

I rose and Eowyn looked after me. "Maybe we should get back to the city?" I said and looked back at her.

_I knew that I sounded like an idiot when I said that._

"Yes, we should do that." She rose and mounted Simlawyn. I looked up at her, the sun made her hair sparkle and shine. I just stood there and stared at her. "What is it?" She asked after moments that had felt forever. I turned my back at her and then took the reins over Farod's neck. He didn't seem happy at all because of the idea of getting' back to the city. I mounted the horse and then smiled at Eowyn.

"Let's ride, my Lady!"


	7. Chapter 7, Eowyn

**Chapter 7**

"Eowyn!" I woke up with a jerk and opened my eyes. I heard hard knocks on my chamber door. "Eowyn!" I heard that it was Eomer's voice. What did he want? I was sleeping…

"Mm." I groaned and half asleep turned in the bed. The door opened and Eomer came in. Fully dressed. I glanced out the window and saw that the moon shone outside. Wasn't everybody supposed to sleep at this hour of the night? "What is it?" I asked him angry, and sleepy. He better had a good explanation of waking me!

"He's here, Eowyn!" My brother looked really happy and pulled away the quilt so I shuttered by cold in my nightgown.

_I hated my brother very much under those few moments…_

"Who, Eomer?" I asked as I tried to take the quilt back from him.

"Theodred of course!" He looked at me as if I was stupid. How could I know that Theodred had come home? Our cousin had been gone for weeks and weeks because of a band of orcs near our borders. But he had promised us all to be here before his father's birthday celebrations.

"Why didn't you tell me that directly?" I irritated asked my smiling brother. I quickly got out of the bed and ran out of my room. I supposed that my cousin should be in the Golden hall with my uncle, so I headed that way.

"Eowyn!" I heard my brother shout after me. Then I heard him running after me. "Wait!" He shouted. But I didn't want to wait. I wanted to hug my dear cousin and then yell at him because he hadn't come home earlier. He would get a good beating; he had been gone far to long. My nightgown's fabric flapped around my bare legs and the torchlight cast long shadows after and before me. Soon I would be in the hall! Just a little further…

_I should have listened to my brother…_

I ran right into the hall of Meduseld and saw my cousin in front of me. He had his back turned towards me but I recognized him because of his height. Theodred was the longest person I knew.

I ran to him as I shouted: "Theodred!" He turned around when he heard my voice and I threw myself in his arms. He laughed though he tottered for my weight and nearly fell over. I laughed out of joy. My dear cousin was finally home! And he wasn't a day early. The celebrations of his father's birthday were going to start tomorrow. Theodred smelled of horse, sweat and, to my consternation, blood. I kissed him on his cheek and then said: "You stink of horse." He laughed and then pulled me out of his arms. Then I saw that it was not just Theoden that looked amused at us.

About twenty other men watched us, me in particular, and tried to hold their laughter. I felt a blush come to my cheeks; I must look like a little child in their eyes. I looked down because of the embarrassment and then saw what I was wearing, and not wearing. I was standing there in front of twenty men, soldiers, in my nightgown, with uncombed loose hair and bare legs. And I was supposed to be a Lady.

I smiled at the men and laughed embarrassed. I thought it was better to joke it away then be prudish and run out of their sight. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned around. It was Eomer. He grinned at me and then gave me the cloak that he held in his hand. I swept it around me and mumbled: "Thank you."

"If you wait in the dining hall we can talk there later." Theodred said. I nodded and walked out of the hall with all the men's gazes in my back. Before I walked down the corridor towards my goal I turned around to see if Eomer was laughing at me. If he did it would be sorry for him. But my eyes didn't found his face. They only saw one person. Lord Faramir.

I hadn't noticed him before because of the joy that Theodred was back. I only saw Faramir's face in profile but I could see that he wasn't happy. That hurt me, I didn't know why, but it hurt me to see him unpleased. I felt as if it was my fault. He glared towards Eomer and Theodred that were laughing a little. Then he turned his head towards me. When our gazes met he looked surprised, he had probably thought that I would not stand there. In his eyes I saw kindness, and to my surprise, longing. His eyes were dark with desire. I was very surprised to see that feeling be expressed so clearly in his eyes. What was he longing for? Maybe to get me out of his sight…

I turned around and headed towards the dining hall once again. I felt Faramir's gaze in my back. And it felt nice, and safe.

* * *

I smoothed out my green dress one last time and then walked towards the throne. The hall of Meduseld was full up with people. Every single person in the city seemed to be in the hall. I silently walked towards the throne and stopped when I was behind it, on the left side. Then Eomer walked to his place, on the left side of the throne, right in front of me. Then Theodred went to the right side of the throne. It was custom that the heirs to the throne stood on the right side, and other relatives on the left side.

Then Theoden walked to his seat on the throne. When the King was just about to sit down everybody in the hall said: "Hail, Theoden King!" And bowed, or curtsied. King Theoden started to talk almost directly. I sighed and tried to concentrate on what he said. But I quickly found out that I couldn't.

I watched Theodred's back. He would one day be the King of Rohan. He would one day sit on the throne where his father sat today. I was glad about it. Theodred would be a good king. I thought of what he had told us yesterday, it hadn't been just one band of orcs, Theodred and his men had rode into four parties. It was a miracle that just about half of the men had fallen, and it was amazing that Theodred hadn't got injured. He could have died. He could have died before he had become king. I suddenly realized how easy we could die. Just an arrow and then we would be buried.

I suddenly felt very unpleased. I should not think about death now! Today was my uncle's birthday. Today I would enjoy life and not think of the past!

I started to rub my hands and anxious looked at Eomer's feet. I couldn't help it, the only thoughts that were in my mind were: "He could have died. That would have been a catastrophe!" Then I looked down at the crowd. They were so calm, all of them. None of them thought of death in this happy hour. They all listened to the King's wise words. Even Eomer wasn't moving a muscle. He just listened. Calmness filled the whole hall. What was wrong with me?

I wasn't calm at all. And I couldn't listen. All I thought of was death. I tried to listen to what my uncle said, but all his words just melted together to a big word-soup. I thought of my parents, they had left Eomer and me so early.

I felt that I needed comfort. I couldn't go on like this. I wanted to hug someone. I felt that something was missing in the hall, but I didn't know what. I felt tears burn behind my eyes. I fixed my gaze on Eomer's neck and hoped that it would calm me. It didn't. His long blond hair only reminded me of my mother and father. They were dead. And they would never come back. Never.

I wanted to scream. I had never before felt so clearly that I couldn't control anything. So many people was dead, they were in the ground. People were killed right in this moment!

I looked down on the crowd. The Lords and Ladies of Rohan stood on the front rode, on my right side. They looked so lovely, like they hadn't any problems at all. And I didn't know if it was true, because I didn't know anyone of them. It was only the royal family of Rohan that lived in Edoras. The rest of the Lords and Ladies were spread out in the country.

I let my gaze wander away and suddenly caught site of Lord Faramir. He stood on the front rode, almost right in front of Eomer. He wore blue clothing, with the white tree of Gondor on the front, and a black cloak. He looked up at the king and had his hands behind his back. I watched him and suddenly felt more at ease. Then I felt a strange, and wonderful complete, feeling in my body. Why had I thought of death? I had so much to live for!

I watched Faramir as he stood there and listened, I didn't take my eyes of him. I wanted to have this wonderful feeling left in my body, and I feared that if I looked away then it would disappear. I gazed at his face. He looked interested and pleased, his kind gray eyes were fixed at my uncle and he smiled a little. Hisbrown-red hair covered a small part of his face, and it was charming. I smiled. I had never thought of him as handsome before, but he was. You could really see his muscles under his clothing's fabric. Because of that women in Gondor surely thought of him as a good match, and because he was the steward's son. He _was_ a good match, for me also.

Then I realized what I was thinking. Me? Marry Lord Faramir? The thought almost made me laugh. I didn't feel any special feelings towards Lord Faramir. Or did I?

I suddenly noticed that Theoden had stopped talking. But he soon started again, and believe it or not, I heard what he said! "The celebrations will last under two days and nights." He said. "Today the best rider in Rohan will be rewarded with the Golden Helmet. And in the evening the bravest soldiers of Rohan and their families will be granted all the food and ale that they can get down!" Applause suddenly filled the room. Faramir also applauded and his hands seemed to move in slow motion as I watched them.

"On the next day of celebrations, tomorrow," my uncle continued, "there will be a huge bale where everybody who have been invited shall be present. That bale will last the whole day and night." More applause. Faramir started to smile and I suddenly became quite warm inside. I startled as I thought of what I felt. I had never felt like this when I had looked on a man before. It was not like me to feel like this. Maybe I liked Faramir more then I never should confess to myself. I had heard maidens talk about what they felt when they were in love. They had felt happy, excited and safe near that person. And like they could do whatever they wanted. Did I feel like that around _him_? "And then on the morning of the third day…"

But I didn't hear what Theoden was about to say about the morning of the third day, because I gazed right into a pair of gray eyes.

Faramir still had his smile on his face when he met my eyes with his. The smile slowly faded away and we just stood there and stared into each other's eyes. Butterflies started to fly around in my stomach. I started to smile. _He_ started to smile as well. I stared into his smiling eyes and felt so wonderful. He always made me feel wonderful. _He _was wonderful. I started to blush. But I didn't care. I only cared about him. Faramir.

I was in… in… in a very strange situation!

* * *

I settled down on the bench next to my uncle. He smiled and took my hand. I smiled back at him before I looked down over the plain. It was an ocean of horses and riders down there, about a hundred riders. Soon the ultimate race would start, where the best rider in Rohan should be appointed. Everyone who wanted could be part in the race; the demand was just that you were a man, had a horse and were over sixteen years old. I had gladly been one of the riders, but I was a woman, so it wasn't possible.

The rules were simple: all the riders' rode on the same time, and their goal was to ride round the city wall of Edoras one time. It was a very long race, so I didn't thought that Eomer would win. He would surely do his usual mistake. Both he, Theodred and Faramir would be part in the race.

One funny thing about the race was that you didn't know which horse you should ride on. All the men that would ride the race left one horse each in an enormous enclosed pasture, of course some men wrote up which horse who belonged to which rider. Then, right before the race would start, the men were given one horse each. And that was the horse that they rode in the race!

I searched for familiar faces in the lump of horses and riders, but without success. I took a deep breath and waited. It was my uncle who would start the race, and he did it by hitting a bell. He should do it when he was informed that all the riders where ready, which should happen soon.

I looked around me. The sun shone and it was very warm. The tent behind us gave us shade and I was very thankful for that. The wind was as strong as usual, but I didn't thought of that as a bad thing. It was always nice with a cooling gust in your face. But the Ladies who sat a little bit beside us didn't seem to think the same.

"I wish that it wasn't so cold here. The wind is so cold and hard." They said all the time. All they talked about was the weather. They didn't even seem interested about the race, which was soon to begin. I could here some horses snort and I turned my attention to the riders again.

A single rider was galloping up the hill towards us. "All the riders are ready, King Theoden." He said when he reached us.

"Very well then." My uncle answered and rose. He walked to the bell and was given the hammer. I smiled as he drove it right on to the bell. The sound the bell produced was very high but it almost directly mingled with the sounds of snorting and neighing horses, and of course the sound of hoofs hitting the ground.

My uncle walked back to his grand chair and sat down. He directly joined me in my watching of the horses' movements. It was always so exiting to watch on a competition!

I followed the lump of horses that started to get thinner in the front. I wondered where my brother and cousin were in the race, and where Faramir was. Were they in the front line or in the middle? Or were they the three last riders? But that wasn't really likely…

I watched the horses, which had become small dots, when they started to disappear behind the other side of the city. I sighed as the last dot disappeared and waited. The riders had to ride round the whole city before we could see them again. I could here the horses' rumble still, and I knew which thought that was in every rider's head: "I will be the winner!"

The race had had many, many winners, and every single one had been given the Golden Helmet. It was a helmet with a horse head on. Of course the horse head was of gold. If it hadn't been of gold then it hadn't been called the "Golden" Helmet. It was a great honor to win the race. The winner became a Lord and was given a hero's reception, even the simplest peasant. And if the one who had won wasn't married, well then…

_I believe that you can figure out what the women thought of the winner, and offered him…_

The horse that had won was also praised, and it was also suddenly worth quite a bit. And if it was a stallion, which is almost always was, he suddenly got many mares to get friendly with…

In the royal stable of Rohan we had about three horses that had won the race. One of them, Windgust, had my uncle sat on when he won the race almost twenty years ago. Theoden's present horse, Snowmane, was one of Windgust's many, many offspring.

Round the whole city, people stood and cheered. They cheered at their sons, brothers, fathers and husbands. They all knew what they wanted. I wish that I knew what I wanted. The last week had not been as any other week in my whole life, and I knew that I had changed. I didn't know if it was for the better. But I knew that I had felt feelings I had never felt before.

I had spent a lot of time with a man that wasn't in the family. Faramir. He had been accompanying me at every sunrise and sunset I had watched, and on the days also. We had talked very much, I could talk about anything with him, he always understood. He always looked so kind and impressed at me; like I was someone he really adored. I got warm inside when I thought of it. No one had ever been so kind to me as he had been. He always was so kind and, well, wonderful to me. And yesterday, he had looked with desire on me…

I thought of the question I had asked myself earlier today. Did I feel like I could do anything when I am around him? Did I feel happy, excited and safe around him? Did I? Was I in love with Faramir? I had to be honest to myself.

But I didn't know, not right now. "I may only know when I am in his arms." I thought and then spent a few minutes to play up all the moments we had been alone together in my mind. But then I noticed that a few horses and riders (dots) were visible again and I pushed all thoughts of Lord Faramir and me aside.

It seemed to be a tight fight between a few riders. I hoped that Eomer was one of them. Then I could be really proud of him, and praise him like Faramir had done about his brother, Bronomir. At least I thought his name was something like that. Bronomir, that was a nice name…

_I know now that his name is Boromir. I will never forget that. But the name Boromir wasn't important to me then. It is now…_

I fixed my eyes at the leading dot and saw how it came closer and closer. Soon I could discern that it was a brown horse. But after it a white horse were galloping really fast… Had Eomer rode a brown or white horse? Had Theodred? I swallowed. Had Faramir? How ironic it should be if someone that wasn't living in Rohan won the race. Then our image as the best horse lords in the world should be ruined…

The white horse won and some men blew in their horns to announce that the race had a winner. The winner dismounted his horse and then started to go up the hill towards my uncle and I. The rider knew that it was the King that should give him his reward. His horse cantered behind him and as they came closer I saw that both of them was about to fall to the ground because of exhaustion.

I had never seen the rider before. But he was a man of the Rohirrim, he had long blond hair and was quite long. He smiled at my uncle and me as he kneeled before the King. Theoden rose and were given the Golden Helmet. Then my uncle started the ceremony: "What is your name, you greatest of all horse lords?"

"Georling, my King."

"And what is the fastest beast in the land called?" My uncle continued and glanced at the big white horse behind Georling.

"Shadowfaxe he is called, King Theoden."

"Georling, I now announce you as the best rider in the land by giving you the Golden Helmet." Then he put the helmet on the winner's head and then turned to the beast behind him. He patted the horse on his neck and then slightly bowed. "Shadowfaxe, I bow to the mightiest horse in the land…"

Then the ceremony was over and Georling rose. Then he and the King went to the edge of the hill. "Behold Lord Georling!" Theoden shouted as high as he could.

Everybody started to cheer and applaud: "Georling! Georling!" Everybody shouted and the winner put hisarms in the air. I cheered and applauded as well. But then I noticed that Eomer, Theodred and Faramir were walking up the hill towards us and I smiled at them instead of cheering. I could easily see that the race hadn't gone as planned for Eomer, he shook his head and didn't look too happy at all. Theodred looked pleased with his effort and I wondered as which number he had rumbled through the goal.

Faramir had a big smile on his face and I noticed that he tried to catch my gaze with his eyes. I suddenly became very nervous. I knew that I liked him, and that he liked me very much to. But I didn't know anything else then that. I didn't know if he just wanted to be my friend or if he spent his time making up scenarios where he and I kissed and rolled around on the ground. I didn't know anything!

Though that last thought suddenly seemed quite nice…

The three men bowed in front of the winner and my uncle, and then they came towards me. Faramir still tried to catch my gaze; it almost seemed like he wanted me to look at him…

"I'm embarrassed, sister!" Eomer said and took my hands in his and then stared at them. "I didn't won!" He looked in my eyes with played sadness and disappointment in his own. I tried to hold my laughter and patted him on his head.

"Maybe next time, brother, you will have more luck." I said and then sighed and hugged my smiling brother. I glanced at Faramir for a short moment and got really scared. His usual warm gray eyes were dark of jealousy and it seemed like he could kill somebody. I quickly got out of Eomer's arms and turned to my cousin. "How did it go for you, cousin?" I asked.

"Around fifth place or something like that." Theodred answered and smiled. I hugged him and laughed.

"That wasn't so bad." I said. I didn't dare to look at Faramir, I was afraid that I would see a demon, or something like that. When I pulled away from my cousin's arms he laughed and said:

"No it wasn't so bad, but Lord Faramir here won over us all." I looked surprised at Faramir and then back at Theodred. "He was about to win when that silver arrow came rumbling past him. He had that brown horse, you maybe saw it..."

I smiled at the Lord next to my cousin and couldn't hide my surprise. "I didn't thought that you such a splendid rider, my Lord!" I laughed and then wondered what I should do. Should I hug him? Of course I should hug him! I hadn't hugged him before, but I knew him good enough to kiss him, so a hug wasn't improper or anything like that.

I took a little step towards him and then let my arms embrace his shoulders. He took me in his strong arms and suddenly I was aware of that we were very, very close to each other. I felt those butterflies in my stomach again, and I felt his strong body against mine, and it was nice. He smelled sweat and, Faramir. It was a pleasant smell.

"Congratulations." I said and was about to pull out of his embrace. But he didn't let me go!

He just held me tighter and whispered in my ear:

"Thank you." To hear his soft voice in my ear almost made me faint and I felt my knees go weak. He held me in his arms a moment longer, and it seemed like it was forever. Then he released me from his embrace and I took a step back.

I looked at him and smiled. He smiled back. His smile was the same that he always smiled towards me, but now I felt more then knew that it was a smile that he had never smiled towards somebody else.


	8. Chapter 8, Faramir

**Chapter 8**

I dressed myself in comfortable clothing and then started to walk towards the hall of Meduseld. It was so easy to walk, to move forward, into an uncertain future. I was absolutely sure that this day had been the happiest in my entire life.

I had held her in my arms! I had felt her body against mine! And the best thing of all, it was she who had started the hug. She had embraced me willingly! I started to smile as I thought of _her_.

_I always do._

I thought of the time that had gone by of the day: everything had been lovely! Absolutely everything! Except those few moments when I thought that I could kill either Lord Eomer or Lord Theodred…

My murdering thoughts had begun yesterday, really early on the morning, when Lord Theodred had come home. He had been very nice and would surely be a good king. But when I saw Eowyn, in her nightgown, running towards him, with the nightgown's fabric flapping around her bare legs, and then throwing herself in his arms, I felt as if I right there could kill the heir of the throne of Rohan with my bare hands. But a sword would have been great, that too…

I had never felt so jealous in my entire life. I would have done anything to be in Theodred's cloths those minutes, where she embraced him, and kissed him on the cheek! I thought I was going to explode, and when all the men almost started to laugh her right in the face I was sure that I would. Even Theodred and Eomer giggled. I had angry glared at them. If I had been in Theodred's situation I would surely have cried out of joy!

I had looked after her when she had gone towards the dining hall, and she had looked back at me. I had been surprised that she was still there, I had thought that she wanted to get out of the men's sight as fast as possible…

We had looked right into each other's eyes and I had felt all those wonderful feeling inside my body again. I just wanted to run to her and hold her in my arms, and kiss her. I had wanted to do that ever since I first saw her. I had confessed that to myself now, it was not worth to ignore. I liked her a lot. More then I had ever liked any woman before, and I had promised myself that I would tell her that before I left.

I slowed down on my fast steps when I thought of my departure. I would surely leave about one or two days after that the celebrations had ended, and the celebrations ended tomorrow…

I didn't want to leave! Not now. I wanted to stay and get to know everyone better, Eowyn in particular. This last week had been wonderful. I didn't want to get back to Gondor now, not to _him_.

I suddenly got cold when I thought of my father, and my smile quickly disappeared. I didn't want to get back to him. Not when I had found heaven here! To get the thoughts of my father and my departure out of my brain I thought of the week that had gone by…

It had been unbearable for me, though wonderful. Since that morning, when I found _her_ watching the sunrise, I had been accompanying her every time she had watched the sunrise and sunset. And to see her there in the sunlight, so beautiful, had been hard for me. I had to clasp my hands so I wouldn't do anything hasty. We had talked almost all the time, and I knew that she knew everything about me. I knew that I could tell her anything, I trusted her. I had even told her about my father, and our relationship. She had looked chocked on me when I told her. A father that favored one son over the other obviously didn't exist in her mind.

She had told me things about her life, wonderful and horrible things. It had been horrible to listen to her when she told me the whole story about her parents. She had looked so sad. I had hated it; the grief in her eyes had been unbearable to watch. And when I listened to her, my own situation didn't seem so bad. I had one parent left, but she had non.

I pushed all thoughts of dead parents away and walked, if possible, even faster. I wanted to get to the Golden hall as fast as possible. So I could see the Golden Lady. I smiled when I thought of her again, her golden blond hair, and her slightly red cheeks, her blue eyes… This time I didn't bother myself to ask if I was mad. I was slightly tired about that question…

My second (and I hoped my last.) "Want to kill someone," thought had been right after the race. Eomer, Theodred and I had walked up to Eowyn, and I had tried to catch her gaze with mine, but without success. It was like she hadn't wanted to see me. At first that had hurt me, but then that feeling had been pushed away by the other feelings, those feelings that I always get when I'm with _her_. It was simply no room in my body for some other feelings…

When I stood there on the hill, next to Theodred, she had joked with Eomer. And then she had embraced him! Jealousy had ruled my mind entirely when I watched them, the smiling sister and her brother. I had wanted to kill Eomer right there. He was so lucky! He could embrace her as much as he liked, and what could I do? Watch? Yes, that was all I could do….

I would have done anything to switch place with Eomer, to hold her in my arms, to feel her hair and her skin against my own, to feel her body against mine, to feel her arms around my shoulders…

Suddenly she had looked at me when I stood there thinking about how I on the fastest way could slay her brother, and she got really scared. When I saw the terrified look in her eyes I looked away, but the damage, of course, was already made. She had withdrawn from her brother's arms and then talked to her cousin. I hadn't heard a thing of what Theodred had said. I had just stared at Eowyn. I was afraid that I had frightened her because she didn't look at me at all, not until Theodred started to brag about me.

"I didn't thought that you such a splendid rider, my Lord!" She had exclaimed, and then the most wonderful thing in my whole life had happened.

She had taken a step forward, put her arms around my shoulders and then pulled herself against me in a wonderful hug. I stood on clouds that moment when I put my arms around her waist and pulled her tighter against me.

She had been so very, very close. My heart had pounded high as never before. All I wanted to do was to pull my hands through her long hair, let them stop at the back of her head, pull her closer and then, well…

_Guess…_

She had looked really surprised when Theodred told her that I had almost won the entire race. I wonder if she understood why I had tried so hard to win, I had pushed the brown horse that I had been riding, Eorelf, to exhaustion. He had nearly collapsed under me! Afterwards I was really scared that I had hurt him in some manner…

I smiled as I thought of my reason: I had wished to win so I would impress on the most wonderful woman I have ever known, _her_.

When that white horse robbed me of victory I was so irritated, and jealous! Now that man of Rohan would impress on her, and I would stand there in the background, as _second best_.

_As always…_

But then I felt relief, if I had won the race then I surely couldn't have been alone with Eowyn anymore, and that was not a pleasant thought. But she hadn't seemed so impressed about him winning. Or I maybe failed to see if she was impressed, or more likely, I hadn't bothered to look, scared for the answer…

I pushed away all my thoughts when I entered the hall of Meduseld. It was tables spread out in the whole hall, and there were people everywhere, both men and women. They sat on the tables, on the benches round the tables or in each other's lap. The whole hall smelled of horse, a smell that I was use to by now. I headed towards the throne where I thought that the King, Eomer, Theodred and Eowyn would be. I was most eager to find them, one of them in particular... Suddenly I heard a familiar laugh and turned towards the sound.

"Good, please take a seat." Eomer laughed. He had spoken to a man who settled down at a table. His wife settled herself down on the bench next to him. He kissed her and then put one arm around her shoulders. I watched them as in trance, she leaned against his chest and he held her close.

I suddenly noticed that Eomer was going away and I shouted after him to catch his attention:

"Eomer!" He turned around and grinned at me.

"Lord Faramir!" He answered and pushed his way through a group of men. "I was looking for you." He continued as he led me through the hall. "King Theoden is soon to begin the feast meal with a speech." He smiled.

"Wonderful, I'm very hungry." We walked towards the throne and pushed our way though the crowd. Suddenly I caught sight of a beautiful familiar face and fixed my eyes on it. Eowyn was talking to her cousin and stood beside a big table below the throne. She wore a white dress and her blond hair was loose. She suddenly started to laugh and a feeling of both warmth and jealousy began to live inside me. It was wonderful to see her laughing, but it was me who should make her happy! I suddenly noticed that I had stopped and Eomer was looking at me.

He followed my gaze and when his eyes met Eowyn he turned his head towards me again. I glanced at him and then started to walk again, but Eomer grabbed my arm and turned me towards him. He stared at me and I calmly met his gaze with my own.

"You like her, don't you?" Eomer asked and folded his arms over his chest. I looked with played confusion on him. I knew exactly of whom he spoke. "My sister, you like her, don't you?"

"Of course I do, my Lord." I saw how he took a deep breath and knew that he was going to tell me a few things about that matter. I smiled at him. "That's why I'm going to make her pregnant." Eomer widened his eyes. "Tonight, in the stables." I added and watched amused his reaction. He really thought that I was serious.

"You wouldn't dare." He said with deadly serious voice and I started to laugh. He looked confused at me and I confessed:

"You're right, I wouldn't dare to do so. Because then I would be beaten up by her brother, and by herself also, I fear." I grinned at him. "Is that correct?" I added and he laughed a little. Then he nodded and we headed towards Eowyn and her cousin. Eomer opened his mouth and was going to say something when Eowyn saw us and she walked towards us. He closed his mouth and smiled towards his sister.

"There you are!" She greeted us with a smile. As usual those feelings inside me started to live and I smiled back at her. She looked in my eyes for a short moment and I thought that she blushed and her smile widened a little, but I probably imagined that...

"Theoden is soon to begin his speech." She said. Eomer nodded and walked towards the bench on the other side of the table. I followed him and so did Eowyn. Eowyn sat down next to her cousin, who was sitting on the right side of his father.

A man that I hadn't seen before sat on the King's left side. He seemed to be some years older then myself and had black hair, unlike the other Rohirrims, though I saw that he was a man of Rohan. He introduced himself as Grima Wormtongue, the King's advisor. When I asked him why he hadn't been here under the week he told me that he had been away on a mission for the King. I noticed that Eomer got a little tense when he sat down next to Grima.

"For a moment I thought you were serious about that thing with Eowyn." Eomer said and looked up on me. When Eomer mentioned his sister Wormtongue suddenly turned his attention to him. I didn't like it.

"I was." I laughed and then settled down on the bench next to Eomer. He watched me for a short moment and then laughed as well.

* * *

"And then I told him that he should be really glad," Theodred continued, "Because if I would have been a orc then he would have been a dead man." I laughed so much that I thought that I was going to explode. Eomer, who was sitting next to me, looked like he had changed his face for a tomato and the men around us also snorted with laughter.

Eomer, Theodred, a bunch of other men and myself were sitting round a big table that was situated next to a large barrel of ale. We had drank almost all of what it contained and I started to feel a little dizzy in my head.

"Come on, it wasn't so funny." Theodred sighed with a smile and we laughed even more. After a few minutes I had calmed down and emptied my cup on ale. Eomer fast served me more.

"Here we are not miserly with the drink." He laughed and then served himself. I smiled and drank a large gulp of the ale. I sighed pleased as I then put down my cup again.

"Now, Lord Faramir, you have to tell me how you _almost_ managed to be the best rider in the world." Lord Heothain said in a drunken slur. He stressed on the word almost and I just smiled at him.

"A mixture of a good horse and a strong will." I answered and grabbed a bit of bread from the plait. I broke a bit of the bread and put it in my mouth. The men laughed and Eomer said:

"It was probably quite a lot of luck in that mixture to." I smiled and nodded.

"Probably, but it is not sure." I said and Eomer grinned and drank a gulp of ale. The men then started to discuss which kind of horse that was the best one to have in the race. Was a fast one the best? Or was it one with stamina? After a while horse breeding dominated the conversation. I was not an expert on the subject so I looked around in the hall between the questions the men asked me about Gondor's horses.

Almost everybody in the hall was drunk, so the hall was a most interesting sight. On a table not far from ours a man and a woman were dancing on the table while singing high. At another table the men were having a drinking game, only three men hadn't passed out.

I let my gaze wander around in the hall in search of a certain face, a beautiful one. I hadn't seen Eowyn since the feast was about to start, and I wished to speak to her. I rose from the table after I had told the men my excuses and then walked around in the hall at random. Almost everybody was sitting around the tables so it was quite easy to find my way between the tables.

I found King Theoden talking to Wormtongue and a Lord Gamling and I joined them. They were discussing the orcs threat on their country, and I gladly gave them information about Gondor's situation. But then after a few minutes I caught myself fantasizing about a certain lady, and I became most eager to find her. I asked her uncle if he had seen her, but he hadn't. When I rose to look after her Wormtongue said:

"If you find her, tell her I wish to talk with her again." They way he said talk sent shivers down my spine and I didn't answer him. I wondered how he knew Eowyn…

I settled of to find her but after I had walked around in the hall for about fifteen minutes I still hadn't found her. So I sat down at a table where a large bucket of ale was situated. I sat there for a while and drank while I talked to the men who were sitting around me. They were Rohirric soldiers and they had been invited because they had all fought bravely for the Kingdom of Rohan.

I thought it was rather interesting that normal soldiers were invited to the King's birthday celebrations, it was not like that in Gondor. In Gondor the people were split up in two parties: the noble ones (the rich) and the ones who wasn't noble (the farmers and the normal soldiers). And on special celebrations only nobles were present. Here in Rohan the people were more equal. I couldn't tell if it was better or not…

After a few minutes I started to think about Lady Eowyn again, I just couldn't get her out of my mind. I wanted to find her! Where could she be? She couldn't have left, could she? Surely a niece wouldn't just abandon her uncle's birthday celebration so lightly…

I decided to find her, and I walked around in the hall in my search for Lady Eowyn. I suddenly was aware that I had drunk a lot of ale, because the world spun around sometimes before my eyes. I started to feel very dizzy in my head so I decided to get some fresh air.

I stepped outside and immediately the chilly wind hit me in the face. It felt wonderful. It was quite dark here outside; the sun had gone down some minutes ago. I walked to a bench and sat down. I could hear some people laugh not far from me and they were probably sitting just around the corner. I held my head in my hands and tried to shut their voices out. I just wanted to have some peace.

Suddenly a great headache settled itself down in my head and I rose to find a quieter place. The peoples laugh hurt in my head as I walked in the opposite direction of their laughter and came to the backside of the hall. A torch was situated on the wall, but the flame almost died out because of the wind. The cold wind hit me right in the face and I shivered and rubbed my arms. I leaned on to the wall and gazed out over the city. Houses were spread out in front of me, below the rocky hill on which the Golden hall was situated.

I watched a guard who was patrolling the wall. He carried a torch, and that was why I could discern him in the dark. Suddenly I heard a strange sound. I turned my head towards it and saw that a person were sitting on the stone floor and leaned back at the wall. Her golden hair fell over her shoulders and it shone in the torchlight. I saw directly that it was _she_, though her hair covered almost her whole face.

"My Lady Eowyn." I said and smiled at her.

"My Lord." She said. Her voice was filled with tears. I looked surprised and confused at her. She stroke back her hair from her face and then I saw that her eyes were red with weeping. She shouldn't cry! She was far too beautiful for that!

"May I join you?" I asked. She nodded and I sat down next to her on the stone floor. I leaned my back on the wall and looked at her. To be near her made those feelings live inside me, and the desire to touch her burned like a flame inside me.

I watched her and saw that she was trying to hide that she had wept. She started to talk about the weather but I interrupted her and asked:

"What is wrong?" She stared at me for a few moments and then she said:

"Nothing," She laughed, "nothing." I smiled at her and I saw tears coming to her eyes again. She blinked them away and then looked down at the floor. I moved closer to her and she turned away.

"I'm not a lunatic, Eowyn." I said to her. "I know that something is not alright. What have happened?" She started to shiver and I heard that she wept. I wanted to comfort her, she shouldn't cry!

"It's him." She said and turned her head towards me. "He's back." Fresh tears were running down her cheeks.

"Who?" I asked and put one arm around her. To touch her made my heart pound harder and faster, but I ignored it.

"Wormtounge." She spit the name out and I felt the anger in her voice. Obviously she didn't like him so much…

She stared into my eyes for a moment and then suddenly started to wail and sob. I hesitated but a short moment and then put my arms around her and pulled her tight against me. She leaned her head against my shoulder and cried out. I had never felt so happy! And I had never felt so sad…

She wept and I stroke her hair and murmured that everything was fine. She wet my skirt with her tears but I didn't care about it. All I cared about was to make Eowyn happy again. I held her tighter to my chest and she put her arms around me.

There were so many feelings inside me that I thought that I was going to explode. I didn't know what some of the feelings was but I knew that I was happy, because I was holding Eowyn, sad, because she wept, and angry, because Wormtongue had made her weep.

After a while Eowyn's tears stopped to fall and I looked down on her. She was so beautiful. Her cheeks were red because of the cold, her blue eyes sparkled and her hair shone like gold. I knew that I could have killed Wormtongue if he had been here right in that moment. He had made her sad!

_That was my third "I want to kill someone" thought on one day…_

She looked up one me and I smiled. She tried to smile back at me but it ended up in a grimace. "What have he done to you?" I asked her and she sighed.

"He always make me feel so miserable and sad." She looked down. "Ever since he became my uncle's advertiser he has followed me and reminded me that my parents are dead, and told me I am lonely." I felt that she held me tighter and I wiped out the tears on her cheek with my thumb.

"You are not lonely, Eowyn." She looked up at me with an expression in her eyes that I had never seen before. "Your brother, cousin and uncle will never abandon you." I continued. She looked down again and nodded. "There are many who loves you here."

She smiled and I started to smile as well. She looked up in my eyes and I suddenly saw something in her eyes that made my body tremble with desire. She was so close. She was practically sitting in my lap. Her face was just a few inches away. Maybe I should...

This time I didn't push the thought aside. She would maybe let me kiss her. The thought made all other thoughts fade away and I could hear my heart pound high in my ears. I leaned down a little towards her. Of course she would let me kiss her!

Everything around us disappeared. I looked in her eyes and saw joy mixed with fear. I moved closer and opened my mouth a little. I tried to keep my breathing normal, but it was impossible. I leaned down towards her a little more and felt my lip slightly touch her nose. I leaned down even more to feel her lips against mine, but she turned away and my lips met her cheek.

I closed my eyes and felt like an idiot. Who did I thought I was? "I'm sorry." I said and released her from my arms. She rose and smiled uncertain down at me.

"Let's go inside," She said, "I'm freezing." I nodded and rose. She put her hand on my arm and I looked confused at her. She smiled warm towards me and I didn't understand a thing. Didn't she despise me after what I had tried to do?

"Come on." She said. And then we walked back into the hall.

* * *

Hope you like it! Please review, and please tell me if you think something is weird so I can fix it.


	9. Chapter 9, Faramir

**Chapter 9**

I stared up in the ceiling. I was really confused. I tried to figure out what _she_ thought about me, and what she didn't think. But my head did a revolt when I tried to concentrate and hurt quite a bit. I had a really great hangover.

I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep again. It was still a few hours until it would be proper for me to leave my soft bed and get some breakfast. But my stomach had started to tell me that it existed, so I hoped that the sun soon would rise so that I could settle of towards the kitchen. The feast yesterday had been a success; everyone had got drunk, and I didn't believe that there was so many of the guests that had left his or her bed, or had even woken. I wondered if _she_ had woken. What she thought of if she was. Did she think about me, like I thought about her?

I laughed a little. Would she even think of me after what I had tried to do? Yes she would, with disgust! I couldn't believe that I had tried to kiss her, how could I have been so stupid? How could I had tried to use the situation like that? It was not like me to try to kiss women that I had known less then a month.

I lay there and criticized myself for a few minutes. Then the question that I had tried not to think about came up in my head. Why had she turned away? Didn't she think of me with warmth at all? Wasn't I a respectable man? Wasn't I an honorable man who was worthy of any woman's affection?

No, I wasn't. At least not honorable, after what I had tried to do. And Eowyn had clearly informed me that I was not worthy of her affection. I hadn't even asked her uncle for permission to court her!

I sighed and looked out the window; it was dark outside. But it was not a really black darkness; it was more like a gray darkness. I guessed that the sun would soon rise, perfect! My stomach rumbled when I thought of the delicious breakfast that I would eat within a few hours.

I closed my eyes again and turned in the bed. I tried not to think about Eowyn because it would surely make me mad. But her face came sneaking up on me and overwhelmed me with its presence. She was so beautiful, and perfect. She was amazing. I had never met someone like her before. I thought back on the sunrises and the sunsets when we had been alone together and let myself drown in the lovely feelings that filled my body when I thought of her. But then, suddenly, another feeling burned inside me. Desire.

I wanted to see her! She was so beautiful. She had the most beautiful body I had ever seen. It was slender, but yet strong, and it was so soft and smooth! And her eyes... They were so beautiful. To look in her blue eyes was not so different from looking up in the sky at night and behold all the stars, they sparkled that much. I wanted to talk to her and become calm because of the sound of her voice.

I sighed as I thought of her voice. The most wonderful voice in the whole world. It would be so amazing to hear her sing! To fall asleep in her arms to the sound of her voice... I wanted to touch her! Her skin was so soft and warm. I wanted to hold her in my arms, as I had done some hours ago. She was so lovely, the Lady Eowyn. Oh, how I loved her! She was so gorgeous, so amazing, so beautiful, so…

I opened my eyes and sat up with a jerk. I put my head in my hands and closed my eyes. The reality had knocked on my door, and I had let it in. I loved her! I loved Lady Eowyn!

I put my hands on my legs and laughed. It was so obvious! All those feelings I always got around her, they were feelings of love. How could I had been so stupid that I hadn't realized that? I guessed that the very feelings had blind me...

I lay down again in my bed and put my hands under my head as I smiled. I had loved her since the first moment I saw her, since the first time I sat my foot in the hall of Meduseld!

I lay there in my bed for several minutes and just smiled as I looked up in the ceiling, and everything was so wonderful and perfect. And then the most horrible thought popped up in my head: "She doesn't love me!"

I swallowed and hide my face with my hands. She didn't love me, because if she did then she wouldn't had turned away when I tried to kiss her, right? I felt tears come to my eyes. But then I blinked them away; I didn't know that she didn't love me! After that we had walked back inside to the feast she had been charming towards me and hadn't avoided me at all. She had even clasped my hand a short moment. She maybe loved me but thought that she heard someone coming when I tried to kiss her, so she had turned away so that person wouldn't have seen us and told Eomer, so he wouldn't have killed me! Yes, it must have been the case!

I even realized myself how unlikely that was, and how desperate my thoughts was. There was only one thing that could be done. I had to ask her. I had to ask her if she returned my love!

I determined and quickly rose from my bed and put my clothes on. When I opened the door the torchlight hit me in the face as it had always done those mornings when I was going to ride away with Eowyn to see the sunrise. But this morning I wasn't headed towards the stables; I was headed towards Eowyn's bedchamber. I quickly settled of towards the Golden hall. I had to cross it to get to the corridor where the royal family was sleeping in their chambers.

The hall of Meduseld was still filled with tables and, to my surprise, men and women. They were sleeping here and there, on the tables, on the floor and on the benches. I noticed that some were sleeping in each other's arms. That would never happen in Gondor. In my homeland everyone went home when the feast, or ball, officially ended. I found it fascinating and amusing that these men and women could lay here and sleep, without a single disturbance. And I knew that they wouldn't be punished for it either. If the same had happened in Gondor then the men and women would be forced to pay lot of money in damages to the host of the feast. And they would also loose their reputation.

I quickly found my way through the hall and settled of towards my goal inside a corridor. A small part of my brain reminded me that I was not supposed to be here, but I ignored it. I had to talk to Eowyn!

It was first when I stopped in front of the first door I saw that it hit me that I didn't know where Eowyn's chamber was. I looked around me in hope to find a sign that said: "Lady Eowyn's chamber is behind that door."

Of course I couldn't find such a sign and I screamed out in frustration, then I confessed my defeat. I slowly walked back to the Golden hall and sat down at a table. There was some bread on a plait there and I ate a little. I slowly calmed down and wondered what I should do. Should I wait until Eowyn came out to eat some breakfast? That could take hours… And besides, that would not be right. I should have to tell my feelings to her uncle at first, so that I could get permission to court her properly at the ball.

But the King of Rohan would surely not wake up until at least three more hours had gone by. And if I were smart, then I would tell him about my affection towards his niece after the breakfast, you could never be certain about anyone's morning mood…

I wondered what I should do, so many hours that I had to wait until I could tell someone about my feelings… I sat in silence for a few minutes and just thought of what I could do, and of course my usual morning occupation almost directly popped up in my mind: I could ride!

I rose and then settled of towards the door. I had to jump over a couple that was sleeping in each other's arms and to my chock I saw that the man wasn't just an ordinary soldier, he was a Lord of Rohan. It was Lord Heothain that I had talked to on the feast. I looked at him and the woman that were in his arms for a moment. The woman was very beautiful, the Lord had very good taste, she had long blond hair and when I saw it I started to think about Eowyn. For a short moment I imagined that it was her who lay there and I was in Lord Heothain's position. I started to smile but then pushed the thought away. I looked at the sleeping couple a moment longer, and then settled of towards the door while I shock my head. There was just no end on the Rohirrim's pranks…

_Do I really need to tell you what would have happened if Lord Heothain and his partner had lain in a Gondorian hall?_

When I got outside the wind hit my face, it was harder and colder then usual, but I didn't care. I had only one care in the world: if a certain lady felt the same way about me that I did about her. The sun had started to rise and I admired the sight for a few minutes before I walked down the stairs of the hall of Meduseld and then moved towards the stables. The door was unlocked, as usual. The Rohirrims didn't seem to have so much trouble with burglars.

_Another thing that separates Rohan from Gondor…_

When I got inside the stable the smell of horse was very strong and I walked towards Farod's stall. The brown horse didn't seem so happy when I corded him and then led him out of the warmth of the stable; he knew that he should soon have got his first meal of oats. I mounted him when we got outside with some trouble, the beast just didn't want to stand still!

We cantered slowly down the road and Farod just moved his ears a little when I urged him to move faster. When we at last reached the gate I found the gatekeeper in a deep slumber. When I managed to wake him he wasn't happy at all, and he murmured curses when he let my horse and I out on the plain. I wouldn't have paid many coins to find out what he thought of me…

When we got out on the plain Farod's ears suddenly pointed forward and I felt the sun's heat in my face. Farod gladly broke into a gallop when I urged him forward. The wind ran through my hair and I felt like I flew. To gallop bareback was not like gallop with a saddle; you became one with the horse and felt like it was you who ran in that tempo. We settled of towards the usual hill where Eowyn and I had watched so many sunrises and sunsets, I steered the creature underneath me that way by old habit.

We rumbled over the grass and then when we where at the top of the hill Farod slowed down. I dismounted the horse and then watched the amazing sight in front of me. The sun had just risen and Edoras seemed to sparkle in the morning light. I sighed content and patted Farod on his neck. The horse had started to graze and suddenly I felt that my stomach was very empty.

I sat down on the usual stone and looked down over the plain. It was so wonderful, so beautiful. To make this perfect the only thing that was missing was a good book, maybe elvish poetry? I remembered the book that was lying in the library of Minas Tirith; I had been reading it when I got word of that I had to leave for Edoras at once. I had left it there spread open; I had rushed away right in a sentence. I wondered how that poem ended. It had been about an elvish princess who fell in love with her father's sworn enemy. Ironic, but amusing and interesting to read…

I sighed and closed my eyes. The sun was warm and nice against my face. Some birds were chirping near by and Farod snorted behind me. I opened my eyes and then pulled one hand through my hair. As I did so I noticed that a rider had left the city of Edoras.

"Eowyn?" I wondered and watched the rider that was coming my way. It could be her. I smiled and got warm inside, had she followed me? I rose and put one hand in Farod's mane as the rider rumbled up the hill. It was she.

"Faramir?" Eowyn exclaimed surprised when she saw that it was I. If she had followed me then she was a very good actor. I noticed that she didn't say "Lord" and it made me glad. I nodded and said:

"Eowyn." She dismounted Simlawyn and then glanced at me and smiled a little. "Good morning." I continued as I enchanted looked at her. Her long golden hair was loose and her cheeks were slightly red.

"Good morning." She laughed and then made a gesture towards the stones. I smiled and nodded. We silent sat down at the stones. I sat down as far from her that I could possible get; I didn't want her to think that I should try to kiss her again.

I looked at her; she had clasped her hands and was looking down over the plain. "Why did you come out here?" I asked and she looked at me with a smile.

"The ball will start not long after the breakfast, and then I will never be alone. I wanted to be alone and think for a moment." I smiled. "And I also wanted to get some fresh air." She looked back out over the plain and I looked down at my hands.

"Well I'm sorry, you are not alone." I said and she looked at me.

"Indeed, no." She smiled. "But I prefer your company over my pitiful loneliness." I glanced surprised and wondering at her; she was looking down at her hands. We sat in silence for a few minutes and I had to strain myself so I wouldn't do anything rash.

"As usual I brought some bread." She suddenly said and smiled.

"Bread would be nice." I said and she rose and fetched it out of Simlawyn's saddlebag. As usual she broke the bread in two pieces and gave me one of them. "Thank you." I said and she smiled. She sat down beside me and I noticed that she had sat down closer to me then she had done before, but I maybe just imagined that. We sat there and just ate for a moment, and then she asked:

"Why did you come you come out here, Faramir?" When she said my name I lost my breath and I glanced at her. She was calmly chewing on some bread and looked curiously on me.

"I woke up and couldn't fall asleep again." I said. It was quite true…

"I woke up because of a scream." She said and I swallowed. I felt a blush coming to my face. She had heard me shout… "But when I looked outside my door there was nobody there." She continued.

"Strange." I said and turned my head away. Now I at least knew where her bedchamber was… We sat quiet for moment and I desperately tried to find out something to talk about. Usually I talked about everything, but when I was with Eowyn my mind went blank. At least until we found something to talk about.

"It shall be very fun at the ball, don't you think?" I asked and looked at her.

"Yes, I hope so. Though the balls I have been to have had a irritating habit to become boring." I smiled and she continued: "Dancing?" She shook her head. "It's more fun to ride."

"I agree." She smiled at me.

"Didn't you just say that you thought it would be fun at the ball?"

"You do not need to dance to have fun." She looked curious at me. "I can sit in a corner with a book and then everything should be fine."

"Reading?" She exclaimed and my smile became wider. "Reading is the most boring thing in the whole world!"

"Indeed no. It's very interesting." She gave me an amused look.

"Interesting?" She shook her head. "And I thought that you were an exciting man." I laughed.

"You and my brother can form a club: 'We who hate books'." She smiled.

"Your brother seems to be a most interesting and exciting man."

"He is."

"Is he amusing?"

"Quite." I put a bit of bread in my mouth and started to chew. "Though his favorite business is to slay orcs."

"I think I have found my future husband." She laughed and I did so as well, but that didn't stop the feeling of jealousy to spread in my body.

_I don't believe that she knew how right she was…_

"You should see him when he's drunk." I said. "Then you will maybe change your opinion of him…" I laughed. "He thinks he can do anything."

"Yes, I do have experience about drunk men who thinks that." She smiled but I turned my head away and looked out over the hill. She meant me. How could I have been so stupid yesterday? I put a bit of bread in my mouth and chewed it slowly.

She sighed and then suddenly leaned her head on my shoulder. A bunch of feelings caught fire inside me and I looked surprised at her, and then I chewed desperately at the bread in my mouth. Her head was on my shoulder! I swallowed and tried to keep my breathing normal.

"Did you sleep much tonight?" She asked. "The feast ended so late…"

"I slept enough to wake up this early." I answered and she smiled.

"I didn't sleep so much this night. I thought to much." She said and yawned as she closed her eyes. For a short moment I wondered if she had thought about me, but then all the feelings inside me created some kind of headache in my head, so I couldn't concentrate. But it was a nice headache, and it made me feel wonderful.

The only things that existed were _we_. Some of her long hair fell on my arm. It shone in the sunlight; it seemed to be so soft. I couldn't resist it, I touched it with my hand and I felt butterflies in my stomach as I did so. Her hair was so soft and I played with it between my fingers. I hesitated a little and then slowly caressed the hair that was on her head.

She turned her head, opened her eyes and looked right into mine. I still held my hand on her head so I let it fall back to her neck. I tried to breathing normal but it was impossible. I squeezed the bread in my hand so hard that my trouser-leg became full of crumbs. She was so close, so close... She smiled and I smiled back at her.

"Do you know who I thought about?" She asked. I shook my head slowly, afraid to make the magic disappear. "You." She said and caressed my cheek slowly with her hand. Her touch made me overwhelmed with desire, but I managed to strain myself. I swallowed and tried to figure out what the expression in her eyes was, even though all I wanted to do was to lean forward and kiss her.

"Do you know why I turned away before?" I made no move. She smiled. "You were drunk." I silently nodded and her smile widened. "But now you are not…"

I swallowed and then watched her as her smile slowly disappeared and she bent a little forward. She was so close. I could see every single hair in her eyebrow. Was she going to…? Did she really…?

I tightened my grip around her neck. One of the horses behind us snorted. She came closer; I felt her breath against my face. It smelled bread. I felt inflamed and I could hear my pulse beat in my ears. She was going to! She did really!

A bird chirped somewhere, but I didn't care. All I cared about was she. Our noses touched, she closed her eyes. I closed mine own and then leaned down.

_I will always, always remember that moment._

When we kissed I thought that I was going to explode. I dropped the piece of bread that I held in my hand and put my arm around her waist. All the feelings inside me made me kind of dizzy, and desire burned like fire inside me. Her taste invaded my senses as our lips parted and I then felt her tongue against mine. She leaned closer and I held her tighter against me. I couldn't believe that it was true. I was kissing _her_.

She put her arms around my neck and then leaned a little backwards with her head. I put both my arms around her waist and then followed her as I deepened the kiss, my entire being seemed to bath in desire. I wanted her! I wanted her so badly! I had never been so happy in my entire life.

_And I was going to be happier. Those months were the most wonderful in my whole life._

When she at last broke the kiss several minutes had gone by and I was almost lying atop of her. She smiled at me and I happy smiled back. The look in her eyes said everything: she loved me!


End file.
